REVIEW: NYC, marvel at the Trocks, especially that Dying Swan
Photo: Robert Carter is a standout for Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, now playing at the Joyce Theater. Photo courtesy of Steven Pisano / Provided by Richard Kornberg & Associates with permission.
NEW YORK — Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, better known as the Trocks, is a wondrous group of ballet dancers who marry precision with pratfalls for a delicious display of humorous footwork. They are a troupe of male performers playing all the parts in well-known ballets, and they mug for the crowd at every chance they can get. The resulting performance is one of laughs and amazement, for though they poke fun at the art form, they are expert interpreters of it as well.
The Trocks are now back in New York City, setting up their dance party at the Joyce through Jan. 2, unless the Omicron variant has other plans. At their recent opening night performance, the dancers presented Act II of Tchaikovsky’s uber-popular Swan Lake, a classic from the company’s repertory, plus Nightcrawlers, Valpurgeyeva Noch and also a Pas de Trois from Swan Lake. The two-hour evening featured skilled artistry with fitting costumes, superbly realized routines and more than a few earned laughs.
The Swan Lake portions are pure Trock. They have been honoring and eviscerating the famous ballet for many years, and there is so much joy when watching their version. There is a wedge of Swans (look it up, that’s the right term) flying around the stage while Benno (Tino Xirau-Lopez), Prince Siegfried (Boris Mudko) and Von Rothbart (Yuri Smirnov) hold court over the proceedings. Nadia Doumiafyeva serves as the Queen of the Swans, leading the birds in balletic bliss as they escape the clutches of Von Rothbart. Be mindful that these performance names are part of the joke. For example, one Swan character is performed by Holly Dey-Abroad. Another one is named Minnie van Driver. One more? How about Maya Thickenthightya?
Another highlight was Nightcrawlers, featuring choreography by Peter Anastos, costumes by Ryan Hanson and lighting by Erika Johnson. The music is by Chopin, and the dance sequence serves as a riff on the choreography of Jerome Robbins. The six dancers are expertly paired together and pull off many balletic feats throughout the work. They compete with one another, fall behind and sometimes miss a step or two, yet somehow there’s enough time left over to land enough of the routine that the chuckles stop and wide-eyed wonderment ensues.
The final dance for the evening, Valpurgeyeva Noch, is a spirited, colorful ballet featuring Fauns, Nymphs and Maidens. Of course, Bacchus and Pan show up as well. Overall, this company piece is a highlight of “Program A,” which continues until Dec. 19 and is encored Dec. 28-30. “Program B” features the dances ChopEniana, Le Grand Pas de Quatre and Majisimas. The costumes in Valpurgeyeva Noch are exquisite, thanks to Christopher Anthony Vergara, and the choreography and staging by Elena Kunikova (after Leonid Lavrovsky) are nicely redolent of the atmosphere being conveyed, the music by Charles Gounod, and the general look and feel of this mythological setting.
Typically it’s tough to choose a standout in the troupe, but this time around, there is one. Robert Carter, whose performer name is Yuri Smirnov, portrays Von Rothbart in Swan Lake and the Dying Swan during an interact sequence. He is a hilarious performer, someone who can read the audience and milk a laugh for all its worth. In particular, when he plays the Dying Swan, he has the entire stage to himself and makes good use of the spotlight. It’s a bravura performance of comedy and candidness.
The Trocks frequently set up shop at the Joyce around the holiday season, but due to COVID they have been absent for some time. They are needed in Manhattan, now more than ever. They respect the art form of ballet, with each of the dancers mastering their footwork and movement, always wowing with skill and tenacity. However, they never take themselves too seriously. The dancers, all of whom have silly performer names, have fun with the material and build jokes because they are celebrating ballet’s possibilities, its history and its interpretative diversity. They know enough about their chosen field to keep their tongue firmly planted in their cheek.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo continue at the Joyce in Manhattan through Jan. 2. Click here for more information and tickets.
